and to celebrate we'll be doing a hamburger cookout afterwards in a nearby recreation pavilion .

Please join us!

In January and February of 2013, the Ridge Rangers will be doing a multi-week effort to help endangered scrub jay families at Avon Park Air Force Range, and we're looking for help!

Scrub jays depend on scrub habitat with low vegetation height. However, critical areas of scrub habitat at the Air Force Range are becoming overgrown, taking away the scrub jay's home. The Air Force Range – which has one of the largest existing populations of scrub jays – has asked the Ridge Rangers to help return these overgrown areas back to natural scrub habitat where scrub jays can thrive.

We'll be cutting down selected trees and tall shrubs over a hundred acre area where scrub jay families are currently trying to survive … and we'd like your help!

You'll be working in teams and using loppers and hand saws to cut down the tall vegetation. You'll want wear long pants, long sleeves, and a hat. , We'll have all the tools and gear needed, but bring your work gloves. We'll also have plenty of cold driking water.

Meeting Location:

We'll be meeting at Building 600(Recreation Building) at the Air Force Range. See this link in a zoomable Google Maps, showing the route from US 27 in Avon Park to the Air Force Range Entrance and then to the meeting location: http://goo.gl/maps/dqhJN

Driving Directions:

Take US Hwy 27 to Avon Park. At the light at US27 and Main Street turn east on Main Street (CR64) and follow CR 64 for about 10 miles until it ends at the Avon Park AFR security gate. The guard can help with directions to the Outdoor Recreation Office- bldg 600. From the gate go straight ahead past the juvenile facilities. Go left at a "Y" intersection and look for the brown sign that says "Outdoor Recreation and Fish & Wildlife Program - Bldg 600"